"Ex-lovers, she dumped me for Sam McCree," ZoŽ said as Rayne laughed and Jennifer nearly fainted.

"So our not so little Jennifer is what?" Rayne asked. "I saw you checkin me out, at least I thought you were."

"I gotta go," Jennifer said, walking off suddenly as ZoŽ chased after her and caught up down the hall, stopping her.

"Look, Sam keeps shitting on you, why not flirt and see what happens?"

"I dunno," Jennifer said.

"You are, who you are," ZoŽ said as she spotted Rayne tilting her head and openly checking out Jennifer's butt now. "Raise your shirt up a little in the back."

"Why?" Jennifer asked in confusion but doing it anyway as she looked back at her butt and ZoŽ saw Rayne smile. "OK now what?"

"She's checking out your butt," ZoŽ said as Jennifer snapped her head back and saw Rayne grin and wave as both laughed. "Go flirt."

"Yeah, fuck Sam," Jennifer said as she walked back down the hall with ZoŽ. "You get an eyeful?"

"Yeah pretty much," Rayne said. "You are so not the same Jennifer."

"That's a good thing?" Jennifer asked.

"Yeah it is," Rayne said. "Ummm... as bad as this sucks I have class, you gonna be in Poetry club I hope?"

"Yeah, gonna make an effort to be ZoŽ's friend again," Jennifer said.

"Yeah right," ZoŽ said with a playful push as she spotted Mandy coming up the hallway. Walking to meet her a few feet down the hall, she said, "Hey, my girl."

"I love hearing you say that," Mandy said as she welcomed ZoŽ's hug. "Me and you stomping at the mall after school?"

"Like I'm gonna say no," ZoŽ said as she followed Mandy's eyes to Jennifer and Rayne openly flirting now.

"Sam's fuck buddy tired of my adorable little sister?" Mandy asked.

"Says Sam only wants her for one thing," ZoŽ said as Jennifer grinned and watched Rayne walk away.

"That's Sam, can't handle reality so she has to shit on the one person who sees the real her," Mandy commented. Jennifer turned and got suddenly nervous as she spotted Mandy.

"Don't say anything mean, please?" ZoŽ asked Mandy. "For me?"

"I'm cool," Mandy said softly.

"Hi," Jennifer said.

"Finally get tired of Sam walking all over you?" Mandy asked pointedly. "I saw you flirting."

"I guess," Jennifer said with a shrug of the shoulders. "I only did it because ZoŽ made me."

"That girl is hot," Mandy said. "Right ZoŽ?"

"Not really my type," ZoŽ said. "She's got a beautiful body."

"Yeah..." Jennifer said with a smile, "... really beautiful."

"That's Joey Larue's ex?" Mandy asked. "Shady mentioned it."

"Yeah," ZoŽ answered.

"Is it? Cori's Joey?" Jennifer asked.

"Cori and Joey broke up," ZoŽ said. "Something about her too. She was flirting with Cori. But Cori told me her and Rayne didn't have anything going on."

"Great," Jennifer said. "The one girl who flirts with me is a basket case."

"With your mouth I'm sure you two will be screaming at each other in no time," Mandy said as Jennifer glared at her for a moment and then smiled.

"I only said that stuff cause you're always putting Sam down," Jennifer said calmly. "You don't know how many times she's cried over it."

"Seriously?" Mandy asked as she moved in front of ZoŽ.

"Yeah, seriously," Jennifer said. "Let me call you a whore 50 million times and see if it don't start to sink in."

"Skank, not a whore."

"Same difference," Jennifer said as ZoŽ hugged Mandy from behind. "It still hurts."

"Yeah I'll bet it did," Mandy said softly. "WOW."

"If you need to talk call me," ZoŽ said to Jennifer, "OK?"

"You think I won't, but I'm going to," Jennifer said with a grin.

** ** ** Meanwhile @ Upton-Sinclaire, main hallway, a few hours later

"JOEY, JOEY, JOEY, JOEY, JOEY!" Marissa screamed as she tore down the main hallway at Upton-Sinclaire just as school ended. Joey looked up and saw Marissa slide by as she tried to stop, then slamming into the lockers across the hall, "OWWWWWW, damn that hurt."

"You OK?" Joey asked with a giggle as Marissa rubbed her shoulder and smiled.

"You shouldn't laugh at an injured girl who is about to make your day," Marissa said as Joey boldly pulled a giggling Marissa into her arms and said in a sultry voice, "Make my day."

"Stop that," Marissa said as Joey giggled and started to wrestle with her. Marissa finally breaking away and running for the parking lot as Joey grabbed her book bag and chased her. Reaching the parking lot and looking around, she heard a giggling coming from just behind her and turned to see Marissa leaning against the building. "Miss me?"

"Just for that I'm gonna kiss you," Joey said as Marissa squealed in laughter and they once again started to wrestle before Marissa broke away and ran. Stopping behind a car a few rows down from the building as Joey caught up to her.

"OK hold on, this is what I wanna show you," Marissa said as she held her hands up to protect from any further attacks. "The car not my hands."

"Yours?" Joey asked as she loOKed at it. "Who gave you this clunker?"

"What?" Marissa asked with a hurt look. "It's not a fuckin..."

"Kidding," Joey said gently and making a face to get Marissa to smile. "You have a sense of humor, I like it."

"It's just I was all excited to show it to you," Marissa said as Joey realized she had hurt her feelings.

"OK, I'm stupid sometimes and I'm sorry for hurting your feelings," Joey said as Marissa shrugged and looked down. Touching her chin and getting her to look up and meet her gaze, Joey grinned. "I'm not like everybody else that makes fun of you for shit you did in the past. That was a lame joke. Is this really yours?"

"My dad's old car, but it runs," Marissa said as Joey leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Joey Larue," Marissa said with a smile as she touched her cheek. "What was that for?"

"I wanted to see you smile," Joey said as she nervously bit her lip. "I like it when you smile."

"And I like it when you're nice to me," Marissa said as Joey moved closer and put her hand on Marissa's stomach gently.

"If I do anything to make you nervous you will tell me?" Joey asked softly.

"ME!" Marissa growled as she moved in front of a now giggling Joey. "What you think I'm too dumb to drive?"

"You are blond," Joey said as Marissa groaned and started to walk off when Joey grabbed her from behind in a bear hug. Saying in her ear as Marissa smiled and relaxed into Joey's arms, "A cute blond."

"That's a little better," Marissa said softly.

"Guess what?" Joey asked as Marissa looked back with a smile on her face.

"Yeh?"

"I got a thing for the cute blond," Joey said as Marissa seemed surprised by that candid admission.

"No flirting games, you serious?" Marissa asked and giggled as Joey spun her around and wrapped her tighter.

"Completely" Joey said. "I see the real you and I like her."

"What about Cori?" Marissa asked as the air seemed to leave Joey's lungs and the moment ended rather quickly as Joey pulled away. "What did I say?"

"Nothing," Joey said quietly. "I am trying to move on and I have feelings for you. Real feelings."

"Yeh me too," Marissa said nervously as Joey looked up with a smile. "Yeh I got a thing for the cute brunette."

"I'll be so good to you," Joey said as she pulled a giggling Marissa back into her arms. Marissa smiling as her body pressed against Joey's and she watched Joey slowly tilt her head and lean in. Turning her head away on instinct, and wishing she hadn't an instant later. Feeling Joey's soft touch on her cheek. "Look at me please?"

"I'm scared..."

"I'll treat you like everyone else should have," Joey said in an almost whisper. "You know I will."

"I don't know..."

"Yeh you do," Joey said as she caressed Marissa's cheek softly, Marissa's hand covering the one Joey had on her cheek. "I'm not like everyone else you've been with."

"You're not?"

"Me and Cori never slept together and we had some opportunities," Joey said. "Sex is not important to me."

"UMMMMMMMM..."

"Let me make you feel like you've always wanted to," Joey said as she leaned in and softly kissed Marissa's cheek. Seeing her smile brightly Joey thought Marissa might be giving in to what she was feeling too. "So beautiful, you are you know?"

"And I'm not Alex and you are in my arms and you're not scared of me," Joey said, "You're scared of the feelings you have for me."

"Maybe, OK, yeh," Marissa rambled as Joey leaned in and kissed her lips softly for the first time. Marissa's whole body freezing for a moment as she felt Joey's lips pressing against hers. But relaxing in the next moment as the incredible feelings she had been bottling up came rushing to the surface and she moved her lips against Joey's. So soft and slow, Marissa thought as she felt Joey pull her tighter. Their lips falling in time with the other's as Marissa began to get lost in the sensations now sweeping her body. But far too soon she felt Joey's lips slow and hold the kiss to a lingering sizzling end before she pulled away. "WOW, you just fuckin kissed me."

"Yeh I did," Joey said proudly as she leaned in again and kissed Marissa's lips once more. "And I did it again. What you gonna do about it?"

"Yep, and I am crazy about the cute blond," Joey said as Marissa smiled. "Was it OK?"

"I kissed you back didn't I?" Marissa asked as Joey grinned and pressed her forehead to Marissa's. "I'm crazy about you too."

"You know this means a lot of stuff changes," Joey said.

"Mmmmm-hmmmm," Marissa said. "Now all that flirting isn't so innocent."

"I don't think it ever was," Joey said. "I just felt this rhythm and connection with you from the moment we met that I've never had before."

"Yeh like that first night at the warehouse?"

"I pretended to be your girlfriend," Joey said as they both laughed.

"Yeh and then trying to one up each other every chance we got?" Marissa asked. "I was having so much fun, even when you got me good."

"The one in front of my mom was evil," Joey said as Marissa laughed and gave her a challenging smile. "You will pay for that one."

"But you like me now," Marissa said with a pooched lip/puppy dog look.

"You will still pay for that," Joey said as Marissa laughed.

"Bring it on," Marissa said as Joey leaned in and kissed her again softly, "But..."

"But what?" Joey asked as she laughed and Marissa blushed, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

** ** ** Meanwhile @ Sammler-Manning Manor, front porch

"You crashed into me, boogerhead," Marley said in an angry voice as Lily sat behind her in a chair and watched her play with some old hot wheels she'd found earlier in the basement. "Stop getting in my way."

"Is he giving you a hard time sweety?" Lily asked with an amused smile on her face.

"He sure is, he keeps getting in my way," Marley said as Lily laughed. A moment later being floored by Marley's next question. "Miss Lily, do you know where my other Daddy went too?"

"Do you wonder about that?"

"Yeh," Marley said with a tired look. "Passion told me he was happy now and I could be happy too. I miss him lots."

"I know," Lily said as she reached down and touched Marley's face. "And it's OK to miss him too, OK?"

"OK," Marley said simply.

"You miss Mommy too?"

"Nope," Marley said with a mean look. "Mommy was mean like Grandma and a lot too."

"How was she mean?" Lily asked as Marley stood and crawled up into Lily's lap. "Huh?"

"She said I was bad a lot," Marley said. "Said she wouldn't love me if I wasn't good."

"That woman was a bitch," Lily said as Marley gave her a confused look.

"Means I should change," Passion said as Lily rolled her eyes and Passion disappeared back into the house giggling.

"Hey, hey Ms. Lily," Marley said to get her attention, "Daddy be home soon?"

"I think so," Lily said as Marley smiled. "Do you think we should get dinner started?"

"Belly rumbling," Marley said as she pointed to her tummy.

"Well looky here," Lily said as she pointed to the driveway as Sarah's mustang pulled up. Marley turned and loOKed as Lily asked, "Know who that is?"

"Yesss, Sarah and her girlfriend," Marley said as Lily laughed. Marley climbing down as the passenger's side door opened and Sarah's head popped out and Marley went running down the walk towards her. Stopping a foot or so in front of her as Sarah grinned down at her and Grace emerged from the driver's side. "Hi."

"Well Hi to you too," Sarah said sweetly. "You waitin on me?"

"Not really, Daddy's coming home but I like you," Marley said as Sarah laughed. Marley then waving to Grace as she said, "Hi Sarah's girlfriend."

"She's only 4, give her a break Sarah's girlfriend," Sarah said with a smirk.

"You mad at me?" Marley asked as she hugged Grace's legs and looked up at her. Grace's heart melting as she picked up her up and kissed her cheek. Marley giggled and wiped her cheek as she said, "EWWWWWWWWWWWWW."

"She is so cute" Sarah said as she held her hands up and laughed as Marley dove into her arms and hugged her. "You like me better anyway huh?"

"You tickle good," Marley commented as Sarah laughed and began to tickle her as a car pulled into the drive just behind Sarah's, Marley excitedly looking as she shifted in Sarah's arms. Hoping to see Rick's truck but frowning when she saw another person she'd never met before get out of a beat up looking car. Looking back to Sarah she asked, "Who dat?"

"Whoever he is he sure is pretty," Sarah said as Marley took in that bit of knowledge. Passion came bouncing out of the house as Wylan got out of the car and smiled as he saw her. Passion trying to remain calm Sarah thought as she practically bounced down the sidewalk to meet him by Sarah and Marley.

"In a round about way," Sarah said with a smile, then pointed to Grace, now standing on the porch and chatting with Lily, "That's my girlfriend, Grace."

"What your name?" Marley asked.

"This is Wylan my little Mar bear," Passion said as she grinned at him. One Sarah noticed he gladly returned.

"Wylan Keller, nice to meet you," Wylan said as he took Marley's hand and shook it, making her giggle.

"She said you was purty," Marley announced as she pointed at Sarah, who's mouth dropped open.

"Marley Molloy!" Sarah said in surprise as Marley looked at her in confusion.

"What? You said dat," Marley said.

"Always nice to be told you're pretty," Wylan said as Sarah blushed. "The feeling is mutual."

"Hey, are you not here to see me?" Passion asked as she moved next to him and linked her arm through his.

"Just returning a compliment," he said. "Besides you're the prettiest girl I see."

"Now that's a compliment," Sarah said as Passion agreed and walked off with Wylan and both soon disappeared into the house. Rick's truck coming up the street just then and pulling up onto the grass when he saw two cars already filling up the driveway. Sarah watched Marley's face light up as she squirmed to get down and went charging across the yard with Sarah close behind. Rick smiling as he got out and swept Marley into his arms. Marley hugging him around the neck like she hadn't seen him in weeks.

"I missed you so much daddy," Marley said as she kissed his chin. "You was gone for a long time."

"I missed you too," Rick said as she kissed her cheek.

"What about me... Dad?" Sarah asked with a huge grin.

"Ok I missed you too," Rick said as Sarah smiled.

** ** ** Meanwhile @ The Palace

"Shady honey can you and Katie come out here?" Donald said from the other side of the door. Shady groaned as her and Katie climbed out of bed and made their way into the hallway.

"Yeh?" Shady asked as Donald tapped on Sam's door.

"Samantha, come out here for a second."

"What?" Sam asked as she stuck her head out of the door. Katie noticing the slightly swollen eyes that had to mean Sam had been crying or so she thought in the moment. "I'm tired I wanna lay down for a while."

"Come out here, you can lay back down in a minute," Donald said. "And I assume my other daughter is gone with her ever present side kick?"

"Nope, downstairs in the library," Katie said. "Want me to go and get them?"

"Yes, thank you," Donald said as Katie headed down the stairs. Seeing her now out of site, Donald took a deep breath and turned to Sam and Shady. "Ok I know this is not gonna go over well, but for once I am insisting."

"This have something to do with me and Katie?" Shady asked with a worried look.

"No, and Shady Lynn you know how much I adore that girl, especially after what her father has done to her," Donald said as Shady smiled.

"Look, I'm trying not to be like Mom, OK, but I'm tired" Sam said. "What is it?"

"The whole McCree clan is having a reunion in Saint Louis and we are going as a family," Donald said firmly. "Me and my three girls."

"Dad are you crazy, Katie doesn't have anywhere..." Shady said as Donald held his hand up and quieted her.

"A room at the Marriot and she'll have the run of the place," Donald said. "And Kevin is coming with us as my personal assistant."

"Still sucks," Shady said.

"I'll go," Sam said softly as both looked at her in surprise. "I know, huge shock. When do we leave?"

"First thing in the morning..."

"What's first thing in the morning?" Mandy asked as she came up the steps followed by ZoŽ and Katie. Donald filling the others in on the news.

"I hate my fuckin family, bunch of Midwest bible thumping trash," Mandy said. "You make us do this every year."

"You're going anyway..."

"Calm down Amanda, please for me?" ZoŽ said calmly. "Do this for him? It's important."

"I don't wanna go either, I feel the same way she does" Shady said as she hugged Katie. "I don't wanna leave Katie alone for a weekend."

"I'll be fine," Katie said.

"Hey, crazy idea, but why you gotta stay at the Marriot?" ZoŽ asked. Having heard Donald's announcement on the way up the steps, "Come spend the weekend with me."

"Seriously?" Katie asked with a smile. ZoŽ being surprised that she appeared excited.

"Yeh we can hang out all weekend, we got satellite" ZoŽ said as she bumped Katie's shoulder and both giggled.

"It's not like you gotta talk me into it," Katie said as ZoŽ smiled. "If it's OK with Lily I am so there."

"I don't think so," Shady said as Katie looked at her and worried suddenly this was over Jessie again.

"Shay, I am not going to see Jessie..."

"Duh, I know that," Shady said as she moved in front of Katie and kissed her. "I'm starting to think you got something going on with her."

"Me?" ZoŽ asked as she grinned.

"Yeh you, you better keep your hands to yourself," Shady said as she poked ZoŽ's stomach playfully. "I'll so beat you up."

"Oh good lord, I so need to have another kid, maybe this one will be straight," Donald said as he turned to walk down the steps. Mandy laughing as ZoŽ and Shady began to wrestle.

"Shay, stop," Katie said as she got between Shady and a giggling ZoŽ. "Me bunking with ZoŽ is cool with you? Jessie will be there."

"Sure," Shady said with a shrug. "And this is me trusting you."

"Cool," Katie said with a smile as she hugged Shady. ZoŽ saw Sam leaning against the facing of her door and watching the scene with a look on her face like her heart was just broken. Mandy following ZoŽ's eyes after a long moment and seeing the same thing. "And you can call me every five minutes."

"Hey what's up?" ZoŽ asked as she joined Mandy by Sam's side. Katie and Shady laughing and running off into the bedroom a moment later.

"You two got your wish, I got my heart broke," Sam said.

"Why you gotta be mean for?" Mandy asked as ZoŽ instinctively moved in front of her. "You just you don't wanna be like that bitch of a mother of ours..."

"I'm sorry OK, it just hurts," Sam said as she turned and walked off into her room. ZoŽ kissing Mandy and asking, "Please calm down, this is about Jennifer."

"You think... Jennifer dumped her for that Rayne girl?"

"Yeh!"

"Hey, Sam..." Mandy said softly as she walked into the room and found Sam now laying on the bed. "This is about Jennifer?"

"Yeh," Sam said simply.

"She cut you off huh slut?" Mandy asked with a smirk as ZoŽ closed the door and Sam's bottom lip dropped as she threw a pillow at Mandy.

"FUCK YOU!" Sam screamed. "I don't care how many times you call me a whore it's not true. This is not about that."

"And that was a joke," Mandy said as she sat down on the bed. "And it took someone to point it out to me how much damage I was doing by calling you those names..."

"Fuck you, you got ZoŽ, and just leave..."

"I'm sorry," Mandy said as Sam looked at her in almost shock. "I don't think you're a whore or a skank. You dressed like one, I never for a second thought you were one though."

"Yeh right..." Sam said in shock. "Some cruel joke?"

"Nope," Mandy said. "That's Mom's style not mine. I'm really sorry."

"WOW!" Sam said with a smile. "I'm not sure what to say."

"How about apologizing for calling her Skeletor?" ZoŽ asked. "But only if you're sorry for it."

"I only said that cause you wouldn't stop calling me..."

"Say your sorry then, she did," ZoŽ said. "People who love each other do that."

"Sorry," Sam said softly.

"Yeh, real convincing," ZoŽ said as Mandy rose and hugged her.

"Anyway, what happened with Jennifer?" Mandy asked before anything could be said.

"She said she found someone else to fuck and now she don't wanna come over anymore or something like that," Sam said bitterly. "Stupid whore."

"Takes one to know one Samantha," Mandy snapped, "It takes two to tango, sis."

"Thing is ZoŽ, he's nice and yeh not too smart," Sam said with a smile. "And he don't put pressure on me like he did with you."

"And when he does and you fuck him I'm telling Dad," Mandy said as she sat down on the bed again and covered Sam's mouth to keep her from saying anything in reply. "He can get you pregnant and ruin your whole life."

"Ok," Sam said. "Can I just be alone for a little while?"

"Yeh," Mandy said as she and ZoŽ left. Only to be met by Katie in the hallway.

"So, roomy, call Lily yet?" Katie asked.

"No but I can," ZoŽ said as she opened her phone.

"MANDY?"

"Yeh dad?"

"Come help your electronics challenged Dad with this computer?" Donald asked from downstairs. Mandy kissed ZoŽ's cheek and shot Katie a defiant look as both laughed and headed off down the steps.

"Mom, is it OK if Katie spends the weekend at the house?" ZoŽ asked as Lily picked up.

"Katie Singer?"

"Yeh, see Shady's Dad is taking Mandy, Sam and Shady to a family reunion for the weekend and I invited Katie to spend the weekend," ZoŽ said as Katie listened nervously.

"Honey why can't she go home?" Lily asked.

"Is it OK if I explain it when we get there? It's a long story and Katie tells it better," ZoŽ said. "We'll be home in a few OK?"

"Tell Katie she's always welcome here," Lily said. "And I know you, so it must be a good reason. Bye."

"Not exactly excited huh?"

"She doesn't know the stuff that went on with you and your... parents," ZoŽ said as Katie laughed. "She said you're welcome anytime."

"I just hope it's not gonna be weird," Katie said.

"With you there how could it not be?" ZoŽ asked as Katie pushed her and both laughed.

"And just to be clear, I'm there to hang out with you," Katie said softly. "I so don't wanna get involved in some stupid jealous piss fight by hanging out with Jessie."

"You know we got a bunch of porn channels," ZoŽ said with a smile as Katie blushed and knew she was trying to change the subject. "Which do you perfer leaded or unleaded?"

"We can sample both," Katie said as her and ZoŽ laughed. "Teach my little friend ZoŽ all about lesbian loving."

"Ohmigod, screw you," ZoŽ said as she blushed a million colors and covered her face with her hands as Katie fell against the wall laughing.